Typical German cuisine varies according to each German state's culinary tradition, to its regional agriculture, and to the new tastes of new Germans who have settled in the reunited Germany. Nordrhein Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland and Baden-Wuertenburg's traditional specialties, for example, include ingredients typified in the agriculture around the Black Forest and the Rhein river, and by a wine tradition influenced by the proximity to Belgium, France and Switzerland. They include dishes like the "Badener Schneckensuepple" (a snail chowder flavored with herbs), "Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte" (Black Forest cake), and "Rheinischer Sauerbraten" (beef roast stewed with wine).

Schleswig Holstein, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg and Berlin, with their access to the North and Baltic Seas, their availability of spices, and their exchange of culinary know-how with Scandinavian and Eastern countries, include "Rote Gruetze" (fruit soup), "Sauerfleisch" (meat in aspic made with fish gelatin), "Bulletten" (meat balls), "Helgolander Krabbensalat" (Helgoland shrimp salad), and "Soeier" (pickled eggs).

Principal crops grown now throughout the German states and used in its regional way of cooking include hops (Germany is the second largest producer in the world), sugar beets, barley, wheat, potatoes, oats, and rye. Cabbage and carrots are the most important vegetable crops, and apples, pears, currants, strawberries, and raspberries are the most important fruit crops.

A typical German meal today may include from two to seven courses. It is commonly made up by an appetizer (Vorspeise), a soup (Suppe), a main course (Hauptspeise) with one or two either raw or cooked side dishes (Beilagen). After-meal treats are called "Nachspeise." With a fine meal, Germans drink either beer, wine or "Sekt" (champagnoise type sparkling wine). With their meals, young and old Germans also like to drink soft drinks that have interesting names like "Radler" (literally translated, "bike rider" -- a light beer mixed with lemonade or apple juice) or "Limo" (sweetened sparkling water combined with lemonade).

Throughout the day, Germans love to drink drip coffee brewed in large automatic coffee makers with either paper or metallic filters, and then serve majestic "Torte" or "Kuchen" (cake). No good German "Hausfrau" would want to be so rude to not serve coffee and cake to her welcomed guests! German coffee is usually lighter in caffeine content compared to Austrian and Italian coffees. When it is very light it is also called "Bluemchenkaffee" (small flower coffee). The tradition of this last term originates from wartime, when real coffee was substituted with the roasted roots of chicory, which has a small blue flower.

SCHWALZWÄLDER KIRSCHTORTE

Rheinischer Sauerbraten

German Cuisine Quiz

German Cuisine Quiz

Choose the correct answer.

1. Nordrhein Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland and Baden-Wuertenburg's traditional specialties include ingredients typified in the agriculture around _____________ and the Rhein river.

a: the Black Forest

b: the Isar river

c: the Odenwald

2. Schleswig Holstein, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg and Berlin have their access to _____________ their availability of spices, and their exchange of culinary know-how with Scandinavian and Eastern countries.

a: Euxine Sea

b: he North and Baltic Seas

c: Aegean Sea

3. Germany is the second largest producer of ______________ in the world.

a: raisins

b: rice

c: hops

4. With their meals, young and old Germans also like to drink _______________that have interesting names like "Radler" or "Limo".

a: soft drinks

b: local specialty beer

c: sports supplement drink

5. The tradition of “Bluemchenkaffee”(small flower coffee) originates from wartime, when real coffee was substituted with the roasted_______________, which has a small blue flower..